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User blog:Cfp3157/Pokémon Tournament: Lloyd Hemlock vs. Lysander Summers
Lloyd Hemlock, '''the Pokemon professor of various and controversial research subjects. or.... '''Lysander Summers, '''the vigilante-esque trainer who handles hauntings through Kanto. Formal Introduction As the morning sun rose brightly above the peaks of Mount Ember, Roger Morrison eagerly sprints toward the newly built bridge that connected One Island to Treasure Beach. At least, it was Treasure Beach when he and his father vacationed to Kanto in his childhood. What was once a simple but beautiful sand bar covered with trinkets and small treasures had been transformed. In its place was a simple coliseum, with stone pillars and small bleachers surrounding a simple Pokémon battlefield. Six buildings, each about the size of the standard Gyms spread throughout Kanto, stood adjacent to the coliseum. An additional seventh building stood as a barrier between this grand new conference, with large, steel gates cutting the area off from the rest of the beach. As Roger got off the bridge, taking the steps two at a time, he swallowed back a yelp of excitement. The last time he and his Pokémon had competed was in Unova, where he had fought hard and valiantly earned the silver medal of the White Forest Conference. That felt like years ago, and he was beginning to question what could be left to fulfill his wanderlust. Just in the nick of time, a letter had arrived at his house in Hoenn, inviting him to compete in a new tournament based in the Sevii Islands; The Ember Plateau. Packing his bag and his Pokémon, he took the first ship to Kanto the next day. As Roger opened the door into the reception gate, he was bluntly shoved aside as a man in thirties barreled past him. "Watch where you're going, kid." Roger stumbled into the room after him, expecting to walk into a crowded room of eager trainers much like him. Surprisingly, the room was sparsely decorated, with only a round table with seven seats placed in the center of the room, as well as a counter right beside the door Roger just entered. A man stood behind the counter, wearing a maroon long sleeve shirt, green cargo shorts, and a orange domino mask. As small as the room was decorated, the amount of people within it was even smaller. Only four others were there; all men, sitting in the seats at the table. "I guess they'll let anybody into this, won't they?" Recognizing the voice behind him, Roger was left amazed as one of his favorite authors offered his hand in greeting. "Marshall Fitzgerald, a pleasure." "Oh...um..." The trainer stammered, struggling to come up with his own name. The man in maroon finished his sentence. "That's Roger Morrison. You two, please sign your names and take a seat. We are about to begin." The two did as they were told, with Marshall taking a seat by a man dressed in a lab coat while Roger sat with a boy his own age dressed in a black trench coat. The six men looked as the man in maroon approached the seventh spot at the table. He remained standing, placing his hands on the back of the seat, and began his speech. "Hello, and thank you all for taking the time to participate in this event. This tournament is the first of its kind, to my knowledge at least. This will be a round robin- all of you will fight against each other. Due to that, there will only be one match per day. This gives you plenty of time to get to know each other later on. For now, I will give each of you a brief introduction before we begin our first match." "The young boy who has joined us is Roger Morrison, a wandering trainer looking for another adventure." Roger sheepishly grinned and waved at the other, noticeably older trainers around him. "The one wearing the green trenchcoat and with that stupid crossbow on his back is the ghost hunter Lysander Summers." Lysander grunted in disapproval, crossing his arms in a foolish attempt to show disinterest. "Most of you should know Marshall Fitzgerald, the famous author. His companion beside him is Professor Lloyd Hemlock of Kanto." "Ken Fukusaki is the other juvenile. He's an orphan from Johto, as well as a cop in training." "Finally, the man in the cap is Daniel, a former member of Team Rocket who only gave us his first name because he thinks its cool and mysterious." This got a laugh from everyone at the table, including a sarcastically loud one from Daniel himself. "You'll all have time to get better acquainted later. For now, the first match will begin today; Lloyd Hemlock versus Lysander Summers. You both have half an hour to unpack and arrive at the battlefield outside. The rest of you may join to spectate, if you wish." Lloyd Hemlock '''Lloyd Hemlock is a well-known Pokémon professor, obtaining his degree soon after getting the required eight gym badges to compete in the Leagues. Unlike most other professors, he does not have a specific area of study - he researches everything he can find. Lloyd has distanced himself from most of the rest of the scientific community due to his research methods, which were generally considered unethical. He has a strong friendship with fellow Pokémon trainer and Pokémon chef {Pach's Trainer}, and frequents his restaurant. Lloyd has a liking for most kinds of wine. He drinks red for work and white to relax, but makes a glass last hours. Where alcohol is inappropriate, he tends to drink white tea, with a single teaspoon of honey per cup. He keeps his team of 6 Pokémon out of Pokéballs, due to the respect he has for them and the bonds they share. His team of 6, however, are the only Pokémon he has that he considers, and treats like, his family. The rest of his Pokémon are kept in Pokéballs, and are little more than experimental specimens. Lloyd's current pet project is researching the adaptability and recombinant properties of the Eevee evolutionary tree and of Ditto. |-|Barkspawn= Barkspawn was Lloyd's second Pokémon, found in the tall grass near his home as a Houndoor. Lloyd raised Barkspawn into a slightly pyromaniac Houndoom which reflected both her trainer's sense of loyalty to friends and complete disregard for those who aren't. As Lloyd's second Pokémon, she was exposed to his lab's chemicals while he was starting out and couldn't afford safety equipment. While Mariner was unaffected due to his protective shell, Barkspawn underwent a physical mutation to resemble her Mega Form without actually being in it. In the lab, Barkspawn performs experiments needing fire or some other source of heat. Basic Information: *Name: Barkspawm *Species: Houndoom *Type: Dark/Fire *Ability: Early Bird **The Pokémon awakens quickly from sleep. *Personal Info: Flaming Vodka is her favorite drink. *Item: Heat Rock **It extends the duration of the move Sunny Day when used by the holder. Moves: *'Fire Blast:' Barkspawn charges an orb of fire between the horns on her head and then launches it at the opponent. Once it connects, it explodes. Has a chance to apply Burn to the target. *'Flamethrower:' Barkspawn unleashes a torrent of fire, streaming from the horns on her head. Has a chance to apply Burn to the target. *'Beat Up:' Barkspawn howls, and the rest of the team jumps down from the viewing stand. They all converge on the opponent, attacking physically. After some time, the other members of the team return to the stand. *'Fire Spin:' Blasts of fire come out of the two horns on her chest as she circles the opponent rapidly, trapping her foe in a spinning column of fire, trapping them. At the end of the duration, she sits and howls, causing the column to collapse onto the trapped foe. *'Sunny Day:' Barkspawn glows white, sits, and howls, shooting a white beam from her horns at the sky. All clouds scatter, and intense sunlight bathes the battlefield. *'Solar Beam:' A ball of light appears between the horns on Barkspawn's head, and two more on the tips of the horns on her chest. They then fire in a massive, collected beam at the opponent. |-|Surgeon= Surgeon was revived during one of Lloyd's school projects. They bonded almost instantly, due to their shared love of cutting things. Lloyd channeled this to make her into an excellent surgeon. Highly energetic and with a kind disposition, she is one of the friendlier Pokémon on his team with those outside it. This does not, however, inhibit her fascination with cutting things open and performing experiments. Her lab coat's sleeves contain sheathes for her claws; Lloyd added these after he needed medical treatment when she had given him a hug. In the lab, she performs surgical operations, autopsies, and dissections. Basic Information: *Name: Surgeon *Species: Kabutops *Type: Rock/Water *Ability: Battle Armor **Protects the Pokémon from critical hits. *Personal Info: Blood is her favorite drink. *Item: Big Root **It boosts the power of HP-stealing moves so the holder recovers more HP. Moves: *'Cut:' Surgeon charges in and uses one of her two claws to slice the opponent. *'Aqua Jet:' An orb of water collects on the tip of one of Surgeon's claws. A thin, high-pressure jet of water shoots out and slices into the opponent. Always strikes first. *'Night Slash:' One of Surgeon's claws glows with a dark purple, almost black, aura. He then strikes at his foe with lightning speed. *'Stone Edge:' A white ring forms around Surgeon's claws, which then solidify into scalpel-like obisidan chunks. These then fly at the opponent at high speed. *'Mega Drain:' Surgeon's claws glow green, and she makes a cutting gesture. Two green beams of light, with pointed, scythe-like ends, stab into the opponent. They drain some of the opponent's life energy, healing Surgeon. *'Stealth Rock:' Surgeon slams the ground with her claws. Whenever an opponent switches a Pokemon in, the ground on their side will erupt into several stones that then crush the opponent's Pokemon. |-|Mariner= Lloyd's first Pokémon was a Squirtle, who he raised into a Balstoise. Given to him by his father as a toddler, the two share a very strong bond of friendship and trust, acting almost like brothers. Mariner tends to act as a limiting agent to Barkspawn's pyromania, often putting out fires she starts. The two have a playful rivalry, but are quick to drown and/or burn anyone who tries to harm the other. In the lab, Mariner acts as Lloyd's main assistant, showing surprising dexterity using small tools. Basic Information: *Name: Mariner *Species: Blastoise *Type: Water *Ability: Torrent **When weak on health, Blastoise's attacking ability increases. *Personal Info: Water is his favorite drink. *Item: Blastoisinite **Allows Blastoise to Mega Evolve into Mega Blastoise Moves: *'Blizzard:' Mariner braces himself, pointing the cannons on his back at his opponent. They shoot torrents of ice crystals at the opponent. *'Hydro Pump:' Mariner braces himself, pointing the cannons on his back at his opponent. The cannons shoot converging spouts of high-pressure water at the opponent. *'Scald:' Mariner braces himself, pointing the cannon(s) on his back at his opponent. The cannons shoot a blast of scalding-hot water, surrounded by steam. *'Hail:' Mariner braces himself, pointing his cannons at the sky. The cannons shoot forth a blend of ice, water, and water vapor. These all condense high in the atmosphere and create a hailstorm. *'Skull Bash:' Mariner braces himself, lowering his head slightly as it becomes cloaked in a grey aura. Mariner then charges forward with surprising speed and headbutts his opponent, surrounded now by a dark blue-black aura. *'Smack Down:' Mariner braces himself, pointing the cannons on his back at his opponent. The cannons shoot high pressure water laced with pebbles. |-|Osha= Using a spirit drawn out by a Shedininja and special scientific equipment, Lloyd bound the spirit to a sword and created a Honedge. He raised her to an Aegislash and a loyal friend. She is very protective of Lloyd and the other five Pokémon on their team, and greatly enjoys slicing anyone or anything that would harm them to ribbons. Osha and Surgeon are frequently found discussing the finer points of cutting things. In the lab, she ensures all the safety equipment works properly and acts as Surgeon's assistant when needed. Basic Information: *Name: Osha *Species: Shiny Aegislash *Type: Steel/Ghost *Ability: Stance Change **The Pokémon changes form depending on how it battles. *Personal Info: Green tea is her favorite drink. *Item: Focus Band **An item to be held by a Pokémon. The holder may endure a potential KO attack, leaving it with just barely any health. Moves: *'King's Shield: Osha switches to Defense Form and glows with a dark red-black aura. Osha guards against all non-status effect moves, and drops the attack of foes that make physical contact. *'Rock Slide:' Osha charges a white orb in the center of the shield and then slams her shield into the ground. The white orb shatters into many others, and rises up over the opponent. The orbs turn into boulders and slam down on the opponent. *'Brick Break:' Osha brings her shield smashing down onto her opponent, ignoring any psychic barrier or defenses set up by the enemy. *'Iron Head:' Osha assumes Shield Form, and charges straight at the foe, point-first. She does back to Sword Form afterwards. *'Shadow Ball:' Osha charges a black sphere in the center of her shield. She aims it at the opponent, and the sphere shoots out to strike. *'Hyper Beam:' Osha charges a red sphere in the center of her shield. She aims it at the opponent, and the sphere turns into a beam. Move requires a recharge turn afterwards. |-|Splicer= Lloyd created Splicer, his Spiritomb, in the lab. Using captive Yamask and spirits drawn out by several Chandelure and Shedinja, Lloyd recreated the effects of an ancient ritual with modern science to bind all 108 spirits to create the body of a Spiritomb. Another ritual bound that to a Keystone, anchoring it. The Spiritomb's inquisitiveness and slightly malicious curiosity was the basis of a lasting friendship between the two. Due to his nature as a composite creature, Splicer enjoys experimenting with gene splicing between different Pokémon. Basic Info: *Name: Splicer *Species: Spiritomb *Type: Ghost/Dark *Ability: Pressure **The Pokémon raises opposing Pokémon's PP usage. *Personal Info: Hot Chocolate is his favorite drink. *Item: Spell Tag **A sinister, eerie tag that boosts the power of Ghost-type moves. Moves: *'Icy Wind:' Splicer exhales, blowing icy particles towards the opponent at high speed. *'Shadow Sneak:'Splicer melts into the ground, becoming a small, hard to notice shadow. He moves towards his target for a sneak attack. *'Ominous Wind': Spiritomb's projected body increases in size and exhales, infusing his breath with the malice contained within the souls that make up his body to damage his foe. *'Dark Pulse': Splicer's keystone turns black, and two orbs made out of rotating black circles obscure its eyes. These get fired at the opponent as a beam. *'Foul Play': Splicer's projected body pulses, and his foe leaps in for an attack. The swipe passes through his body, which shifts space to have the target strike itself. *'Uproar' Splicer's body pulses, and emits unearthly shrieks and banshee wails that assault the opponent with sound for a few turns. |-|Shale= While experimenting, Lloyd built a Golurk. After activating, the Golurk showed an affinity for punching things, which it did with great force. It has a particular dislike for bird Pokémon, and the Pidgey line in particular. In the lab, Shale prefers to take on any heavy lifting when he's not experimenting with ways to punch things more effectively. Basic Info: *Name: Shale *Species: Shiny Golurk *Type: Ground/Ghost *Ability: Iron Fist **Boosts the power of punching moves *Personal Info: Motor Oil is his favorite drink. *Item: Muscle Band **It is a headband that slightly boosts the power of physical moves. Moves: *'Shadow Punch' Shale's fist glows dark purple and becomes intangible. He punches his foe, and his fist turns sold just as it hits. *'Thunder Punch:' Shale's fist glows yellow & black and is surrounded by lightning. He punches the foe, who receives an electric jolt. *'Drain Punch:' Shale's fist glows black, and the aura grows several spikes on his knuckles. He then punches his foe, and drains some of their life force to heal himself. *'Fly:' Golurk's feet retract into legs and hands retract into arms, creating four sets of thrusters which activate and propel Shale skyward. Next turn, he swoops down and body slams the opponent. *'Ice Punch:' Shale's fist is surrounded in a pale, bluish-white mist. He then punches the foe. *'Fire Punch' Shale's fist is surrounded with a red and orange aura, which turns into fire. He then punches the opponent. Lysander Summers Raised in Lavender Town, Lysander lived under the constant, looming shadow of the Pokemon Tower, or as he and his friends called it, "The Mausoleum". It wasn't until his teens did he finally get a motivation in life. While out in the woods, they found themselves stalked by a Honedge. By morning's light, Lysander was the last one alive as he stumbled out of the woods to tell the tail. Eventually, he decided that the ghost had too much 'fun' tormenting the humans, so adopting some of the pokemon of his deceased friends, he left Lavender Town to travel across the land to capture rouge Ghost, Dark, and Psychic Types and reform them. His travels has lead him from Kanto across the different regions, eventually landing in the Kalos region where he runs his trade out of the back room of a bar. |-|Gabriel= Owned prior to the forest incident, Gabriel was the only one who made Lysander feel at ease, and was the first one he took with him when he decided to go off to capture and reform the rouge Ghost-types. Basic Information *Name: Gabriel *Species: Liepard *Type: Dark *Ability: Limber **Protects the Pokémon from paralysis. *Favorite TV show: Mythbusters *Item: Expert Belt **It's a well-worn belt that slightly boosts the power of super-effective moves. Moves: *'Night Slash:' Gabriel leaps at the opponent as her paw begins to glow violet. At her first chance she slashes at them. *'Pursuit:' Gabriel chasing after the foe, she pounces onto them, digging her claws in deep. *'Payback:' Gabriel lands on her feet after receiving a blow, Gabriel quickly pounces back at the enemy aiming at their face. *'Snarl:' Gabriel gives a slow, deep, and threatening growl as she circles around her foe. *'Fury Swipes:' Gabriel extends her claws out fully and begins to leap back and forth at the foe, raking her claws across their skin. *'Play Rough:' Gabriel goes all out as she leaps at the enemy. As she makes contact with the foe, a dust cloud kicks up as she scratches and claws her enemy. |-|Willow= Owned by his girlfriend, Willow, before her untimely death, Lysander began projecting her onto the Gardevoir, treating her as if she was his girlfriend. When Lysander went off to wrangle rouge Ghost Pokemon, Willow was one of the Pokemon who willingly came with him. Basic Information: *Name: Willow *Species: Gardevoir *Type: Fairy/Psychic *Ability: Synchonize **Whenever afflicted with a status condition, the opponent gains the condition as well. *Favorite TV show: Twin Peaks *Item: Life Orb **It boosts the power of moves, but at the cost of some HP on each hit. Moves: *'Future Sight:' Willow's eyes sparkle in an aquamarine light, after a bit, a bolt of powder blue lightning comes down and hits her enemy. *'Hypnosis:' Willow bows her head as if she's about to pray, but launches a series of rings from her head at her foe. *'Torment:' Willow spins around and appears to give a rude gesture to the opponent, making it incapable of using the same move twice in a row. *'Psyshock:' Willow generates a sphere of psychic energy that she then hurls at her foe. *'Moonblast:' Borrowing the power of the moon, Willow attacks the target with a glowing white sphere. *'Magical Leaf:' Willow twirls, kicking up the leaves which then launch at her foe that hit her foe no matter what. |-|Brahm= Owned by his best friend, Brahms, the Mienshao began spending more and more time with Lysander after the death of his owner, but his owner's family had a hard time to let go of the Mienshao, as it was the last reminder of their son. Eventually, they were able to let go of the Pokemon and Brahms joined Lysander. Basic Information: *Name: Brahm *Species: Mienshao *Type: Fighting *Ability: Inner Focus **Protects the Pokémon from flinching. *Favorite film: Ninja (2009) *Item: White Herb **It will restore any lowered stat in battle once. Moves: *'Focus Blast:' Brahm pulls back into a hadouken pose as he charges up a sapphire color sphere that he then launches at the enemy *'Acrobatics:' Using handsprings and flips, Brahm hits his foe several times from various angles. *'Low Sweep:' As a melee attack comes at him, Brahm drops to the ground and proceeds to trip up his enemy, causing them to hit the ground. *'Double Team:' Performing a short Tai Chi move, several copies of him also doing the move appear around the enemy. *'Reversal:' Small white orbs float around Brahm as he charges at his foe and preforms a one-inch punch. *'Drain Punch:' Brahm winds up as his fist gets covered in a green aura. He then lets loose either a left or right hook at his foe. As he connects, small white beads go from the enemy to Brahm, healing him. |-|Angelus= While traversing an abandoned psyche ward that several people had vanished in over several weeks, Lysander became the object of fascination of a friendly Chandelure who lead him to the captives and helped him stave off the Sableyes that had kidnapped them. Seeing that not all Ghost type were evil, Lysander took him in. Basic Information: *Name: Angelus *Species: Chandelure *Type: Ghost/Fire *Ability: Flame Body **Contact with the Pokémon may burn the attacker. *Favorite film: Haunted Mansion *Item: Focus Band **The holder may endure a potential KO attack, leaving it with just 1 HP. Moves: *'Hex:' Angelus's eyes burn bright as his flames increase in size, creating a large flaming eye above him that stares into the soul of his enemy. *'Shadow Ball:' Angelus creates a dark purple sphere forms from his flames that is then launched at foe. *'Fire Blast:' From the top flame, Angelus fires a stream of violet fire that forms the kanji for fire as it hits the target. *'Will-O-Wisp:' Angelus spins around, firing up to 5 blue-violet fireballs at the enemy. *'Flame Burst:' Fire sprays from each of Angelus's flames that then curve and dive straight at the foe. *'Smog:' The large flame on hi head turns into thick gray smoke as Angelus leans forward so the top of its head is facing the opponent and fires. |-|Salazar= While traversing a haunted museum, Lysander came across a Gallade outnumbered by a gang of Dusclops. Joining in the fight, they were able to stave off the Ghost Pokemon and destroy the artifact that was summoning them to the one spot. In return for saving him, the Gallade joined him. Basic Information: *Name: Salazar *Species: Gallade *Type: Psychic/Fighting *Ability: Steadfast **Boosts the Speed stat each time the Pokémon flinches. *Favorite film: Kill Bill *Item: Life Orb **It boosts the power of moves, but at the cost of some HP on each hit. Moves: *'Swords Dance:' Salazar performs a frenetic dance to uplift the fighting spirit, increasing his attack. *'Close Combat:' Salazar fights the target up close without guarding itself. *'Night Slash:' Salazar slashes the target the instant an opportunity arises. *'Zen Headbutt:' Salazar focuses its willpower to its head and attacks the target. *'Power-Up Punch:' Salazar starts striking the opponent over and over again, making the user's fists stronger. *'Facade:' An attack move that doubles its power if Salazar is poisoned, burned, or has paralysis. |-|Soma= As Lysander traveled across Sinnoh, he found himself looking to the future...with the possibility of settling down and having a son. By now, he had severely pissed off several clans of Ghost-Pokemon, so his family would be in constant danger. Deciding to find a loyal companion that he could pass on to his son, he took in an Eevee and evolved it to an Umbreon. Soma seems to have a cozy relationship with Gabriel. Basic Information: *Name: Soma *Species: Umbreon *Type: Dark *Ability: Synchronize **Whenever afflicted with a status condition, the opponent gains the condition as well. *Favorite TV show: X-Files *Item: Leftovers **Soma's HP is slowly but steadily restored throughout the battle. Moves: *'Wish:' One turn after this move is used, the target's HP is restored by half the Soma's max HP. *'Protect:' Soma creates a blue barrier that causes almost all attacks to be evaded. *'Heal Bell:' Soma makes a soothing bell chime to heal the status conditions of all the party Pokémon. *'Iron Tail:' Soma slams her tail into the target, which has now become hard as metal. *'Shadow Ball:' Soma hurls a shadowy blob at the target. Notes *Voting ends September 27th, 2014 at 11:59 PM. *Votes count if I say so, pretty simple. I'll tell you how and why it needs to be changed if it doesn't. *If you do edges, the edges are the order of the tabbers. Pick the battlefield! Lava Ice Rock Water Lava Field.png|Lava Field Rock Field.png|Rock Field Water Field.png|Water Field Ice Field.jpg|Ice Field Battle Prelude Lloyd Hemlock "Who was the boy?" Lloyd Hemlock asked as he set his suitcase down upon the ground. He was speaking to Marshall Fitzgerald as he entered the house assigned to Lloyd. Noticing the spartan decoration similar to the first building that made up his living quarters- the way he preferred, to be truthful- Lloyd released his entire team into the separated area clearly designated for them to roam around. All of them with exception to Barkspawn left to roam the area, which seemed to have been miraculously divided up into segments that would suit their personal taste as well. "You heard the man in the mask- Roger Morrison. He seems to be a nice kid." Marshall said, patting Barkspawn on the head. She barked in approval before curling up beside Lloyd's leg. "Have you settled into your rooms yet?" Lloyd asked, looking around the room. Investigating a cabinet, Lloyd opened it to see several boxes of his personal favorite tea, as well as four bottles of wine- two Roserade Rose, two Chansey Chardonnay. He poured himself a glass of the former, knowing he would be expected to battle ten minutes from now, and offered Marshall a glass as well. "Not yet. I just tossed my bags into the room and let all my team loose. Figured I'd help you move in, maybe catch up a little bit before your match." Marshall explained, leaning against the door frame. Lloyd shook his head as he started to open his suitcase. "No need, the only thing here are a change of clothes and a couple books. I'll meet you in a few minutes." Marshall laughed as he started to walk out. "Any of those books mine?" Lloyd smirked as he stood to close the door. "Of course not- I only read good ones." Lysander Summers The ghost hunter walked into his room, firstly noticing how well-lit and homely it was. A well-tailored rug stood in its center, while a simple single sized bed was placed against the wall, neatly folded with hospital corners and a large, comfortable looking velvet blanket. A fireplace stood to his right, unlit but with plenty of pre-chopped wood prepared, and to his left was a marvelously built chestnut table. Choosing to keep his team in their Pokeballs since they would be leaving in a few moments, Lysander instead explored the area where they would be staying. A patch of ground with several pieces of standalone exercise equipment took up half the area, likely meant for Brahm and Salazar to train. The other side of the room consisted primarily of cozy dens and patches of grass, allowing Soma and Gabriel to relax. A single part of the room was significantly darker and more foreboding, a place that would suit Angelus well. Lysander left the area and returned to his quarters, finally noticing the wall mount that would be the perfect size for his crossbow. A small sticky note was attached to it. I hate this, and I hate you for making me do this. it read. "I wonder where Willow is supposed to..." Lysander thought aloud to himself, before a horn signaling for his arrival was blared. Lysander quickly threw on his cloak, checked his crossbow and Pokeballs, and hurried out the door. As he walked out, he sheepishly realized that he had left his own chest outside to investigate, and chucked it onto the bed. A bed, he hadn't realized, was not actually a single sized one but instead a queen sized- perfect for a couple. The Battle Lloyd Hemlock: Lysander Summers: Professor Lloyd Hemlock sat in his corner of the arena quietly, his glass of wine in one hand and a novel in the other. His team was already on their pedestals, relaxed and confident before battle. Glancing up from his book, he watched as Lysander Summers arrogantly strolled in late. The ghost hunter's cloak fluttered back in the wind as Lysander dramatically unleashed his Pokeballs onto the pedestal. A mirage of growls and roars sounded as the assortment of Psychic and Dark types emerged, taking their places. In an attempt to look dignified, one particularly loud roar from Gabriel echoed above the others. Gabriel's snarl was met with a bray of barking from Barkspawn, who doubled over in amusement as her cackling caused spits of fire to leave her nose. Mariner looked over at his friend and grunted in faux disapproval, while Gabriel leered at the arrogance of the Dark Pokémon. "Is...is your Houndoom laughing at me?" "No..." Lloyd said as he stood up, drawing the corresponding red throwing knife. "She's laughing at your Liepard. I'm the one laughing at you." The two were interrupted as the man in maroon arrived last, taking his place at the referee's stand. "As am I, Lysander. Most of the people at home watching this are laughing at you as well." Lysander looked around, noticing the three floating camera drones that were broadcasting the match to television sets across the Sevii Islands. His act began to fade, placing his crossbow meekly on its back holster. Observing from the bleachers, the only two live spectators were Marshall and Roger, who sat together on Lloyd's side of the arena. "Let's begin. Rules are simple; it is a standard six-versus-six match, with a twist. Each of you will choose a Pokémon, fight, and then withdraw both Pokémon once a victor is clear. You cannot shift or switch Pokémon outside of the order that you originally registered when you arrived, or you will be disqualified. Everyone clear?" Both trainers nodded their heads, and the man in maroon pulled out two hand flags. He smiled as he raised the flags. "I always wanted to do this..." As the previously generic sand field sunk, it was replaced with a mountainous stone floor with boulders of different sizes jetting from the ground. With the determined field set, the man in maroon swung his flags down. "Begin!" Round 1 Lloyd was first to summon his Pokémon, gesturing with the red knife. Barkspawn howled as she launched herself from the pedestal to the battlefield, while Gabriel responded with his own snarl as he pounced down. The two bestial Pokémon circled each other for a moment, instantly hating the other as they taunted each other. Barkspawn was the first to actually make a move, howling into the sky. Lysander and Gabriel both covered their eyes as Sunny Day activated, clouds disappearing and the sun's rays burning brighter than before. Using Gabriel's stunned state as an advantage, Barkspawn used Fire Spin. Sprinting around Gabriel, the scorching column of flames kept the Liepard pinned as he whined in protest. Glowing purple, Liepard used Payback as soon as Fire Spin subsided. He leapt at Barkspawn, slashing a claw across her face and landing the first physical blow. He followed up with Play Rough, leaping on top of the temporarily stunned Houndoom. Kicking, growling, and clawing at her, Gabriel's initial spurt of energy was stopped as Barkspawn used Fire Blast. Hit with the full impact of Barkspawn's blast, Gabriel was sent flying into the air and crashing into one of the many slabs of standing stone. Barkspawn stood up and growled, barring her teeth as Gabriel stood back up. She used Solar Beam, the beam of harnessed sunlight going directly at Gabriel. The Cruel Pokémon leapt behind a slab of stone for cover, expecting it to withstand the Solar Beam. His cover collapsed, however, sending both shards of debris at Gabriel as well as the Solar Beam. Struggling to stand, Gabriel used Snarl in an attempt to intimidate Barkspawn. She responded by using Beat Up, and the entirety of Lloyd's team left the pedestals and surrounded the weakened Gabriel. Mariner and Splicer both headbutted the downed Pokémon, while Osha smacked him back down with the boss of her shield. Shale chose to simply punch him, and Surgeon did a quick slash before all five returned to the pedestal. To finish it, Barkspawn scooped Gabriel into her horns and tossed him into the air. Gabriel landed with a thud, unconscious and unable to battle. Round 2 "How on earth is that fair?" Lysander cried as he returned Gabriel to his Pokeball. Barkspawn happily barked at Lloyd as she returned to her pedestal. The man in maroon merely shrugged and gestured for the fight to continue. "Beat Up is a perfectly legitimate move to use. You're supposed to be the ghost hunter, you ought to know that one." By this point, both Surgeon and Willow had already taken the field, waiting for the cue to begin. With a nod from the man in maroon, Surgeon started with Stealth Rock. Her claws dug into the ground as Willow cast Magical Leaf. Finished, Surgeon attempted to block the leaves with Stone Edge, but before the attack could be completed she was bombarded by Willow's attacks. Falling backwards from how effective the attack was, Surgeon barely stood up again as Willow used her Future Sight. Sensing the need to try to finish the battle quickly, Surgeon launched forward as she scythed toward Willow using Night Slash. Smirking to herself, Willow countered by using Hypnosis. The blue psychic rings hit Surgeon at point blank, and she stood still as sleep overcame her. Willow finished the battle with another Magical Leaf, all of the projectiles slamming into the unconscious Pokémon and forcing it into defeat. Round 3 Lloyd looked at Surgeon with concern as she stood back up. She frowned in disappointment, looking almost on the verge of tears at the thought of disappointing her trainer. As Lysander confidently hugged Willow as she returned to her spot, a knowing glance from Lloyd easily rejuvenated the Kabutops' spirits. She tiredly but eagerly returned to her stand as well, with Mariner giving his nod of approval as he took the field. With Brahm taking a fighting stance, Mariner lazily walked into his position. He yawned, appearing almost bored, as the man in marron gave the signal. Brahms whistled a taunt at the large Blastoise, before several stones from Stealth Rock collided into him. Brahm made the first move, launching a Focus Blast as Lloyd triggered the Key Stone in his knife. Mariner Mega Evolved into a Mega Blastoise, just as the Focus Blast collided with him. At that moment, Willow's Future Sight also struck, a psychic bolt of lightning from the sky striking Mariner along with the Focus Blast. The impact created a small cloud of smoke, from which emerged an unfazed Mariner. "My turn." Lloyd said to himself, wanting to wipe that smirk of Lysander's face. Mariner quickly fired his cannons to use Hail, changing the previously scorching Sunny Day into a freezing ice storm. As chunks of sleet and ice fell onto Brahm, Mariner used Blizzard. The combined glacial assault slammed into the Mienshao all at once, freezing it in place. Mariner then used Hydro Pump, shattering the frozen Fighting-Type as the jets of water slammed into him. Left barely conscious and desperate for a chance to win, Brahm used Reversal. The white orbs surrounded Brahms' fist as he launched himself at Mariner. Mildly amused at the vain attempt to win, Mariner countered with Skull Bash and charged right into Brahms' attack. An explosion sent the two flying back from each other- Mariner none the worse the wear as he planted his feet into the ground, while Brahms a collapsed heap as he was sent careening into a rock. Round 4 Mariner looked back at Lloyd, wondering if they were both thinking the same thing as Lysander returned Brahms to his Pokeball. Lloyd nodded in agreement, and Mariner grunted out a laugh as he returned to the pedestal. Relaxed and not expecting to be summoned again for the match, Mariner withdrew into his shell. Osha floated down from her spot as Angelus did likewise, both silently waiting for the que. Seeking to avenge Surgeon's defeat, Osha swapped out of its default defense stance to offense immediately. Chandelure, meanwhile, braced itself as Stealth Rock collided into him, leaving the Pokémon temporarily stunned as the match began. Taking advantage of the Chandelure's temporary break, Osha used Rock Slide. Slamming her shield into the ground, shards of stone immediately rose up and began cascading towards Angelus. He countered with Will-o-Wisp, small purple orbs slamming into each rock. The last orb circled around Osha, burning her. Sensing the opportunity, Angelus then used Fire Blast. Osha blocked it with King's Shield, before launching a Shadow Ball. Angelus countered with his own Shadow Ball, and the two ghostly projectiles collided mid-flight. When the dust settled, both Ghost-type remained unscathed. Osha buckled as the pain from her burn was felt once again, and Angelus launched another Fire Blast. Osha used King's Shield once again, but this time the move failed and the Fire Blast exploded against Osha. She flew backwards and into a rock, struggling to float back up. Wanting to finish the job, Osha used Rock Slide once again as Angelus cast Flame Burst. Nimbly floating to avoid the boulders flying at him, Angelus fired one last Fire Blast at Osha as Flame Burst connected. The Aegislash let out a cry, before falling back down. Round 5 "Your reputation as a ghost hunter appears to be in tact. So far, at least..." Lloyd mutters to himself, before giving a sympathetic smile to Osha as she floated back to her pedestal. Lysander replied only with a tense grunt, matched by his Gallade as Salazar arrogantly leaped onto the battlefield. "You shouldn't do the dark and broody bit. It's not working for you." Lloyd said loudly as he picked up Splicer by the Keystone. As he chucked it onto the battlefield, the Spiritomb shivered with its wicked smile, almost as if it was cackling madly with glee. The man in maroon shuddered, before signaling for the match to begin. Salazar confidently took the Stealth Rock, even managing to destroy a few before they could hit him. Splicer took this chance to use Icy Wind, sending a freezing blast that covered Salazar in powdered snow. Slightly chilled but barely damaged, Salazar tensed its muscles as he used Swords Dance. Prepared for a fight, he recklessly charged forward and used Close Combat. Splicer continued laughing maniacally as the Fighting-type move proved ineffective, each punch or kick either being avoided by the Forbidden Pokémon or simply phasing through its spiritual body. Left exposed and with lower defenses, Salazar took the full force of Splicer's Ominous Wind. The souls unleashed from Splicer overwhelmed Salazar, assaulting his mind and sending the Gallade flying back. Swiftly standing back up, Salazar prepared to use Night Slash before noticing that Splicer had disappeared. Uneasily looking around, Salazar failed to notice Splicer emerge from underneath him. As Splicer finished using Shadow Sneak, he used Ominous Wind once again to blow Salazar into the air. Dangling in the air, Salazar elected to use Zen Headbutt. Using the momentum of the attack plus gravity to propel him down faster, Salazar smashed into Splicer's Odd Keystone. Left dazed, Salazar never realized Splicer had used Foul Play, and instead had collided directly into the ground. Splicer's cackles soon erupted into an Uproar, the loud bleating noise finally finishing off Salazar. Round 6 Lysander sheepishly recalled Salazar back to his Pokeball, his cheeks flushing with anger and embarrassment as Splicer hobbled back to its pedestal. Lloyd could hardly stifle his laugh, while Marshall and Roger were quietly giggling in the bleachers as well. "Didn't you know that Fighting-type moves can't be used on Ghosts? Or Psychic-types against Dark-types?" Lloyd inquired, his last words barely audible as the heavy steps of Shale walking onto the field drowned out his voice. Soma nuzzled up on her trainer's leg in encouragement before strolling into place. The man in maroon, openly laughing at Lysander's faults, gestured for it to begin. Soma took the brunt of Stealth Rock, flinching and yelping as the jagged stones slammed into her. Shale used Fly, propelling himself at Soma at jet fast speed. Sensing it was too late to dodge, Soma instead used Wish just as Shale landed the blow. As Shale returned to standing position, Soma shook herself off and launched a Shadow Ball. Shale easily dodged the projectile, but Soma's Wish arrived and she was reinvigorated. The Golurk remained flying, and charged full speed at Soma once again with Fly. This time, Soma countered with Protect, the blue barrier stopping Shale in his tracks. Unable to break Protect, Shale backed off to gain space. Soma swiftly launched another Shadow Ball, while casting Wish once again to prepare her heal. Shale, realizing the pattern, quickly flew towards Soma. Using both Fire Punch and Ice Punch, Shale did what he could do break apart the Shadow Ball. Although it still struck Shale hard, a decent amount of the damage was mitigated as Shale kept flying. Soma, unprepared for the outright assault, quickly used Protect to defend herself. Shale's Fire Punch didn't manage to break the barrier, and Soma countered with Iron Tail. The attack was then countered by Shale's Thunder Punch, blocking the tail and paralyzing Soma. Although Wish activated once again to restore her health, Soma was unable to react as the paralysis shocked her. Shale finished the fight with Drain Punch, his fist glowing black as he winded up his arm for a bolo punch. Soma tried to use Protect again, but the shield failed and Shale's fist sent her flying straight into Lysander. Round 7 Lloyd could barely contain his laughter now as Shale marched back to its pedestal. Barkspawn returned to the field, barking in amusement openly as Willow and Lysander crossed their arms at the same time. The former waved a hand in a dismissive display as she also stepped back onto the field. "My team is half ghost types, and you could barely take out one-third of them. What kind of ghost hunter are you?" Lloyd said, flipping his knife callously in his hand. Lysander remained silent, drawing his crossbow from his back in an attempt to look threatening. Barkspawn stopped its laughter, and immediately became tense as she raised her hackles at Willow. She in turn opened her arms, preparing for the fight. The man in maroon, wishing to wrap the fight up, gestured to begin. Willow was bombarded with Stealth Rock, just as Barkspawn choose to open with Flamethrower. The stream of fire instantly collided with Willow's Moonblast, the sphere of lunar energy temporarily halting the flames in their track. Barkspawn only renewed the attack, turning up the heat as it singed past the ball of energy. Willow countered with Psyshock, buckling as her Life Orb drained more of her energy from her. Dodging the Flamethrower, she quickly used Torment. Barkspawn simply started using Fire Spin, trapping her in the inferno vortex. Willow frantically looked around for an opening to escape. The opening was provided as Barkspawn leapt into the vortex herself using Beat Up. Mariner, Splicer, and Shale all gathered around the vortex waiting for it to subside, but a howl from Barkspawn held them back. Circling her prey, Barkspawn's previous excited barking turned into a sinister, low growl. Willow tried to cast Psyshock again, but the Psychic-attack did nothing as it harmlessly dissolved against Barkspawn's shadowy coat. As the final embers of Fire Spin dwindled to smolders, Barkspawn began Beat Up. The Houndoom viciously tackled Willow, putting her paws on Willow's arms and pinning her to the ground. To end the battle, Barkspawn sank her teeth into Willow's neck and shook her around. She let her go when it was clear Willow was done for, and calmly nodded at the other members of Lloyd's team. Round 8 Lysander gave an inhuman cry as he looked at his unconscious Gardevoir. She looked up meekly and moaned, before slumping back over to rest. Returning to her Pokeball, Lysander wiped tears from his eyes and pointed at Lloyd. "It's time to pay for that, Professor!" He couldn't hold it back anymore- Lloyd let loose a single genuine, foreboding, humorless laugh. Mariner joined his trainer as he stepped down, pointing at Angelus as he reluctantly floated down to meet the Mega Blastoise. Roger and Marshall were also laughing at Lysander, all well aware of the outcome. The man in maroon sighed. "This was disappointingly quick. Anyway, let's wrap this up." He haphazardly raised and lowered the flags, before setting them down and checking his watch. Angelus was hit with Stealth Rock, floating in pain and confusion, before Mariner promptly used Smack Down. The pebble-laced water cannons sent the Ghost-type down and smashing into the rock it was hovering over. Angelus slumped over, not getting back up and not even attempting to. "The winner is Lloyd Hemlock!" Category:Blog posts